The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo

134 Richard P. Lando
ers of invocation said. While the small company waited for the spirits to aescend
and enjoy the essence of their offerings the discussion centered on the ceremonies in
honor of the spirits and the difficulties in maintaining them.
An elder noted that for the third year in a row the village headman of Village
A. had failed to attend the ceremony or send a representative, and he had not sent his
village's share of chickens for the offerings. The only other absence was the official
party from Village D who were in the mountains celebrating the offerings to the
mountain spirits who look after the source of the rivers that feed Sugar Cane Dam.
An older village headman commented it was discouraging to try and collect money
for the offering, even the small amount required for the dam spirits' offering. Some
villagers resented the extra expense as their surplus cash had been spent to make Buddhist
~erit in supporting the building funds of the village wats. Other villagers claimed
hereditary exemption from contributing because of duties their families performed at
the offering ceremonies, which they no longer performed, and others said simply that
the rain would continue to fall and the irrigation dam abide with, or without, the
spirits. Another person present commented that when the spirits were invited to come
down and enjoy their offerings, how could one be sure if they came down, or not.
The big news of the afternoon, however, was the fact that the money for the
kEEbon offering had been collected and the ceremony would take place on the fifth
day of the waxing moon. The pigs and other n·ecessary items for the ceremony had
cost Baht 10,000· and the final costs might be as high as Baht 15,000. The ritual
officiant emphasized the need to continue these ceremonies as they obtained the blessing
and attention of the spirits for the dam and the irrigation system for the good of
all the water users ..
5th Day of the Waxing Moon, 9th Lunar Month, B.E. 2525 (June 22, 1981)
The morning of the special k33bon ceremony the chief elder of the kamlang
of Lord of 100,000 Elephants commented that after the offering had been made no one
could blame the problems of rainfall in the area on the spirits, or on the officials. Some
people had blamed the late rains in B.E. 2523 (1980), which had seriously delayed
iransplanting, on the fact that the bon to the spirits had not been repaid on time.
The ceremony was delayed because the kamlang elders and medium of Victorious
Warrior Lord had no.t shown up. Finally the group appeared after invocations
had already begun. The offerings to the five spirits were prepared and all was in
readiness. Lord of 100,000 Elephants possessed his medium first as the ceremony was
in his honor, followed by _Great Mountain Lord. Great Mountain Lord was informed
that there was a provincial training course in the city which required the presence of